Electric hand lantern



Jan. 3, 1933. y c. HL LARs'oN 1,893,293.l

ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Filed March 2. 1931 2 sheets-sneer 1 Jan. 3, 1933. c, H, LARSQN 1,893,293' Y ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Filed March 2. 1931 2 sheets-'sheer 2 f EL son Patented Jan. 3, 1933 CARI.' H. LABSONQOF ELKHABT, INDIANA,

PATENT; OFFICE AssIeNoza 'ro THE BLAKE COMPANY, A

CORPORATION F ILLINOIS ntnc'rnrc HAND LAN'rEaN Application led March 2,

This invention relates toelectric hand lanterns, andalthough the apparatus herein disclosed is suitable for any hand lantern- ,it is particularly adapted for lanterns used by railwa trainmen.

The ob]ect of the invention is to produce a simple, rugged, dirt-proof switch which will give unfailing operation under the severe service conditions of railway use.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the specification and the appended drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevation oi a lantern embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the lantern; n

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the lantern taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. V2; 20 Fig. l4 is a transverse section through the lantern on the 'line 4 4- of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a view similarto that shown in Y Fig. 2`but illustrating a modified form of the device; 25 Fig.'6 isa sectional elevation throughthe lower portion of the modied form taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; n

Fig. -7 is a transverse section taken o`n the line 7-7 of Fig..5.

` 3 In the embodiment* of the invention shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, the lantern, generally indicated b v 10, comprises a casing 11 having a separable'cover 12 and a bail or handle 13 which preferabl is made of insulating material. A guar ring 14 forming the base of the device is attached to the casing by `means of the le 15 which are welded or otherwise suitab y attached to it and to the skirt 16. The skirt telescopes over the casing as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and bears against a stop rid e 17 which is rolled into the easing 11. Sgmall machine screws 18, 18 hold the skirt to the casing. The skirt bears an inwardly turned iiange 19 which supports an Yinsulating'plate 21 and a reflector 22. ,The skirt, plate and reflector may be held together` if desired by the rivets 23. The plate 21 bears met-al inserts 24, 24 which are threaded -to receive the' shell of the lamps 25,

50 25 and form lamp sockets.

1931. serial No. 519,428.v

A battery 26-is inserted in the casing in such a way that its lateral contact 27 bears upon .the closed end of the casing and'its central contact 28 bears upon a stud 29 which is insulated from the casing by the washers 31 and 32.

Electrical connection to the lamps is made by a strip 33 of metal which is held by the riveted head of the stud29 and bears upon the central contacts of the lamps 25, 25.

A spiral spring 34 is attached by the screw 35 to the skirt 16 and has its opposite end held by -the handle 36 in the slidel 37. The curved ends 38 of the slide 37 bear against the abutments 39, 39 which preferably are molded integrallywith the insulating plate 21. The resiliency of the inwardly bent ends of the slide 37 tends to hold the slide firmly against the Skirt 16 and prevent infiltration of dirt and other deleterious matter. A locking detent is provided bythe shallow depressions 41 and 42 which-are molded in the abutments 39,39 and in which the curved 4ends 38, 38 of the slide 37 engage. The abutments 39, 39 also serve to space the plate 21 from the closed end 20 and since three spacing elements are desirable, the spacer 43 is placed just beyond the path of the spring 34 The spring 34 is connected through the casing to one terminal of the battery and the sockets 24, 24 are connected through the lamps 25 `and contact strip 33 to the other terminal. Accordingly, when the handle 36 is pushed to the side from the off position, the spring l34 will be carried against one or the other of the sockets 24, and so establish an electric circuit through the lamp.

In the modified form of the device shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, 'peculiarly shaped springs 44,44 arel ivoted upon the spacers 45, 45 and have t eir outer ends hooked through the ends of the slide 46. Since the slide 46 touches the skirt 160, the 'springs 44, 44 are in electrical communication with the lateral terminal of the battery 260.

The' sockets 240, 240 are electrically connected with the central terminal of the battery through the lamps 250, 250 and consen quently when the handle 47 is pushed to f tom and having a lamp therein, one termi-- ing of the radius.- Preferably, a third spacing plug 49 is molded on the plate 210 so that a three-point bearing is fcrmed, which effectively spaces the plate from t-he closed end of the casing.

. The mechanisms shown aren a dust-tight container and their simple, rugged nature assures the continuous operation of an electric hand signal lantern.

It is understood that the specific embodiments herein shown are for the ur ose of illustration only, and that modi cations of the switch may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I, therefore, claim as my invention:

1. In an electric hand lantern, a cup-shaped casing of unitary construction ada ted to contain a battery, a socket, means or supporting said socket beneath the casing botnal of which is electrically connected to one pole of the battery and the other to the socket, a conductor member to establish a circuit through the lamp electrically connected to the other ole of the battery and having a free enda apted to slide in a limited arc and a portion adapted to contact directl with the socket when the free end is disp aced.

2. In an electric hand i' lantern, a cupshaped casing of unitary construction adapted to contain a battery, an insulating late, means for supporting said plate beneat the bottom of the casing, a socket in the plate having a lamp therein, the central contact of which is electrically connected to one pole of the battery, a spring electrically connected to the opposite'pole of the battery having a free end capable of limited movement along the periphery of the device, and a portion of the spring adapted to directlyv engage the`socket,. and thereby to establis a circuit through the lamp when the free end is displaced toward the limitof its travel. 3. In an electric hand lantern, a casingl having a closed end and adapted to contain a battery having al lateral and a central contact, a skirt electrically connected to'the lat- .eral contact surrounding the casing and ymaintaining an" insulating plate -in spaced relation tothe end of the casing, a metallic sockety in the plate having al lamp therein with Iits central terminal electrically connected to the central contact of the battery, a spring attachedat one end to the skirt extending past the socket and having a free end adapted to slide along the circumference of the skirt whereby the spring and socket may be made to touch and an electriccircuit throu h the lamp be established.

4. Ign an electric hand lantern, a casing having a closed end and adapted to contain a battery having a lateral'and a central contact, a' skirt electrically connected to the lateral contact surrounding the casing and maintaining an insulating plate'in spaced relation to the end of the casing, two metallic sockets in the plate, lamps therein ha their central terminals electrically connecrtltg tothe central contact of thebattery, a sp attached at one end to the skirt positldilll between and extending past the sockets and having a free end adapted to slide along the circumference of the skirt whereby the spring and either of the sockets may be made to touch and an electric circuit through one of the lamps established.

5; In an electric hand lantern, a casing adapted to contain a battery having an insulating plate maintained in spaced relation to the end of the casing, a socket in the platei a spring electrically connected to one pole o the battery pivoted on the plate having one end terminating in a laterally' extending handle adapted to slide along the periphery of the device and the other end to be forced into contact with thesocket and a lam in the socket having its central terminal e ectrically connected to the oppositepole of the battery.

6. In an electric hand lantern, a casing adapted to contain a battery having an insulating late maintained in spaced relation to the eng of the casing, a plurality of sockets in the plate, sprin electrically connected to one pole of the ittery pivoted on the plate having one end adapted to slide alon the periphery of the device and the other en to be forced into contact with one of the sockets and lamps in the lsockets, having their central terminals electrically connected te the opposite pole of the battery.

7. An electriclantern havin a casing provided with' a closed end an a conductive surface'in electrical connection with one terminal of a battery therein, a lamp insulated from the casing and electrically connected to the other terminal of the battery and a spiral sprin having one end electrically connected Ato t e casing and its other shdable 'nsl no v

along the periphery of the device to com plete the electric circuit through the lamp.

8`. In an electric hand lantern, a casing having a closed end, a batte in the casing' a skirt fitted over the closedryend of the cas:

ing maintaining an insulating plate in spaced re ati on thereto, a socket Vshell projecting through theplate, a lateral contact.. on the les battery connected to the casing, an insulated I central battery contact projecting through the casing and engaging the central contact of a lamp in the socket, a iiexible spring elec- 5 trcally connected to the casing disposed adjacent the socket and external means upon the casing to cause the spring and socket to contact.

Intestimony whelof I aix my signature.

ARL H. LARSON. 

